Save Her by Abigail Osborne (novel books to read .txt) 📗

‘Flora. Where is your phone?’ asked Sophie. Looking around the room, she spotted Flora’s phone on the bed. She picked it up and began to tap on the screen. She started reading out the words she was typing, ‘Hi honey, I’ve got your mum here. Look what she just gave me if I promised not to marry you and leave.’ Sophie turned, snatched the cheque out of Flora’s hand and snapped a picture of it with the phone. She then took a picture of Cecelia, holding the cheque up so they were both in the picture.

‘He won’t believe you.’ The quiver in her voice betrayed her doubt.

‘But, Cecelia, why else would you write Flora a cheque for five million pounds?’

Cecelia looked at Flora, the hatred emanating from her was almost tangible. ‘You will regret this,’ she spat at her and then finally she turned and left.

Flora would have sunk to the floor, but Sophie was there, holding her up and making soothing noises. ‘Do not let that woman win, Flora. Nothing that makes us happy comes easy. You can’t have the light without the darkness. If we don’t have to struggle how can we appreciate happiness? You love Sam. Sam loves you. Cecelia is just an irritating spider. She looks scary but at the end of the day, she’s just an insignificant pest and you can easily stamp on her.’ Sophie released Flora and straightened her veil. Stroking her face, she looked Flora in the eyes. ‘You look so beautiful.’

Flora smiled and swallowed back her tears.

‘Please don’t let that woman ruin this day for you,’ begged Sophie.

‘I won’t.’ Flora took a deep breath and tried to settle her emotions and return to the feeling she had before Cecelia came into the room.

Sophie took her hands. ‘Flora, you’re getting married.’ Her smile lit up her face. She pulled Flora around in circles. ‘Flora’s getting married, Flora’s getting married.’

Flora laughed as they jumped around the room. She felt like they were twelve years old again.

‘That’s better.’ Sophie tucked an escaped hair back behind Flora’s ear. She looked almost as happy as Flora felt.

‘Thank you. For what you said to Cecelia.’

‘Ah don’t worry about it. Stupid bitch. Now, we aren’t wasting any more time on her.’

‘I love you, Soph.’

Sophie turned away and moved across the room to get Flora’s wedding shoes, but not before Flora saw tears in her friend’s eyes.

Sophie returned, shoes in hand. ‘Love you too. Now let’s get these on.’

Alistair’s voice cut through Flora’s memories. ‘Cecelia darling, you remember what it is like to be young and in love. Leave them to do their own thing.’

Cecelia threw Alistair a furious look. It was nice to see her mad at someone else for a change. Then she turned to Sam, defeated. ‘Fine. I’ll just have to try and find two other people to go. It’s very short notice, though.’

Flora glanced at Alistair, intending to give him a grateful smile but he was staring into space like he’d never even spoken. He often tuned out of the room, like he was bored and would rather be anywhere else. She found it uncomfortable to be around Alistair. He was too mercurial for her liking. His ability to turn on and off his charismatic personality like a computer was unnerving. At least Cecelia was transparent in her dislike of Flora. Alistair was so capricious that she did not know how he really felt about anything, especially her. He would either be the life and soul of dinner or he’d be lost in a reverie so deep he often forgot to eat.

‘Sorry, Mother. We’ll go another time if you like, just the four of us.’

‘Or maybe just you and I could go for lunch?’

‘Sure.’

Cecelia beamed and stole a sly look at Flora who let her have her small victory. She no longer worried about Cecelia meeting up with Sam alone. After this many years she had yet to do any damage to their relationship. She was sure that Cecelia would be bending his ear about them moving away, after her unsuccessful conversation with Flora she would most likely be plotting another way to stop them from moving.

‘How are the plans for the move coming along?’ asked Alistair, suddenly coming alive again.

Cecelia looked as though she wanted to throw her plate in his face. ‘Darling, they aren’t even a hundred per cent sure they are moving yet. They may change their minds.’

‘Mother.’ Sam reached for her hand and smiled at her. ‘You know that we are moving.’ He turned to his father and answered his question. ‘We’re just waiting on the renovations and then we can move in. Flora’s aunt left it in bad shape, so it needed a lot doing.’

‘How are you dealing with your aunt’s passing, Flora? It must be a really difficult time for you. The last member of your family gone.’

For some reason, Flora had a sense that Alistair’s sympathy was insincere. Her knee-jerk reply was to say that she hoped her aunt rotted in hell, but she did not think it was an appropriate response. ‘I’m a little sad, but we weren’t close. I’m just so looking forward to living in my parents’ home again. It’s going to be amazing.’

Cecelia raised her eyebrows and tutted. ‘Well, who knows what the future holds. Apart from dessert.’ Cecelia clicked her fingers and like magic Reginald appeared out of thin air like a genie and began to clear the dinner plates.

Sam excused himself to use the bathroom and Flora was left with Alistair and Cecelia, neither of whom were looking at her. Alistair had his hands steepled together, his head resting on the fingertips, his face vacant and expressionless once more. Flora hated silence, it made her feel like the room was closing in on her. Words bubbled up inside her fighting to escape. She tried to fight the compulsion, but she wasn’t strong enough: the empty silence of the room was excruciating. It felt like there were ants climbing up her legs